We were soldiers
by Walkerlurker
Summary: A new comer arrives at camp. This is set assuming everyone survives the next episode...


Carl stood in the Guard tower, overlooking the front of the prison. He wiggled his fingers, in an effort to stop them going numb. He saw the where already pinking around his knuckles. He sighed, drawing childish amusement from the way his breath was visible in the freezing autumn air. He could see the grass was frosted over, and the cars wind-shields were covered with frost. He tried tucking his hands in his pockets to keep them warm, to no avail...

He was woken from his thoughts by someone crunching over the frosty grass at the gates of the prison...  
Dad! Dad! Carl screamed, tearing down the stairs of the guard tower, almost slipping over on some sort of disgusting, slimy liquid, he dreaded to think what, but he didn't have to time to stop. As he burst through the door of the cell block, he tripped over, ending up sprawled on the floor. The eyes of Beth, Rick, Axel, Herschel and Daryl turned to him. Beth was the first to respond, followed by his father. The young girl reached out her hand and pulled him up, his face now a clear and visible red. She began to giggle when she realized he wasn't hurt.  
'Dad! You need to see this!' He said urgently, panting after the long run.  
'Carl what is it? Walkers!?' His father replied, his hand moving to his holster.  
'No, there's s-someone out there...I don't know, but he looks military, he's got a rifle, I-I don't know, that's all I saw!'  
'Carl, Herschel you stay here and look after Judith and Beth. Daryl, Axel, Glenn, and Maggie you're with me! Rick yelled. The group instinctively grabbed their weapons and headed outside. Carl was disappointed not to be part of it. It was his find, of course, but it felt good that he was entrusted enough to look after Judy and Beth-Especially Beth.

Rick saw the man, wearing battered army issue ACU trousers and a white t-shirt, both of which were stained with dirt. He had an army issue Back-pack slung over his shoulders, which were broad and muscular. He had a few days worth of stubble, but the most noticeable factor was the assault rifle in his arms, and a Berretta M9 holstered at his leg.  
'Who are you? Are you military?' Rick said. He had his pistol drawn, but not pointed-he didn't want to draw on a man with this firepower, and, if he was military, training.  
'Sergeant Abraham Ford, Us army' He replied.  
'I don't blame you if you don't let me in, but I can help you, I know things, and the truth is, I need you as well'  
'Alright. You'd better move. Now.' He jogged to the gate's, heaving them open, with the help of Axel and Daryl.  
'Hand over your weapons'  
'Not a chance'  
'Then you're out. I won't rick my people. You'll get them back when you earn them.' It was clear he didn't want to, but the sergeant handed Rick his rifle and sidearm.  
'Come meet everybody. There's things we need to discuss'

Inside the cell block, Carl was nervous, that was clear. He paced around the cell, his finger tapping nervously on his weapon.  
'Carl, you OK? I'm sure they'll be fine sweetie' Beth said, he turned to see her, standing just behind him. She put her hand on his shoulder. He had butterflies in his stomach, once again. He had once had a crush before, on a girl in his school-never being the most popular kid on earth, he had often faced embarrassment in front of her, at least that was something he didn't have to worry about with Beth. Suddenly, he heard the door creak open, and the group came through, with another person in tow.

Some hours later, after Abraham had gained Rick's trust, he had been given his weapons back, now the group sat on benches in the cafeteria, eating out of the cheap, plastic plates.  
'Just realised. I should introduce everybody' Rick said. Abraham nodded in agreement.  
'This is Carl my son' he said, looking over to his boy, who looked up and nodded politely, though he shyly refused to say anything other than a quick 'Hi'.  
Everybody else was slightly more open, introducing themselves with a quick description. Carl decided he needed to know what had happened to the army-he still had nightmares about the night he had witnesses the streams of B-52's dropping cluster bombs and Napalm on the streets on Atlanta, shattering he and his mothers illusion of safety.  
'So, W-what was your unit?' He asked. Rick was a little taken aback, by his sons comment. Normally Carl was shy around new people, and in front of audiences. He remembered the time Carl had been made to take part in a school play, and Mrs Mueller had managed to keep him out of it. That was part of the reason he'd liked that teacher.  
'3rd infantry division, out of Fort Benning' Rick abruptly decided to take over the questioning.  
' Where's the rest of your unit?'  
'You want me to go through my story?'  
'If you don't mind'  
'Our first op was to secure Senoia, and eventually led to Atlanta. God dam Atlanta...When we got there we where low on ammunition, we'd lost...maybe...1/4 of our men, and what remained of us where exhausted. I'd been in combat before...two tours of Iraq, one of Afghanistan, but most of the boys where inexperienced. Anyway, we'd already fought the brutal engagements when we got there... Senoia, Augusta and Macon. We were ordered to retreat to Atlanta; it was supposed to be a safe zone, well garrisoned, armoured divisions, and military police, with riot gear. When we got there we were told to stop anyone getting in or out of the city...the only troops we saw where infantrymen like us...who were pulling back to save their own asses. We did the same, and just as we did, we noticed a flight of A-10's...tanks busters... they just...started dropping there ordinance...no warning, nothing. We got out of there...after months on the road; I'm all that's left.'

It was some while later that Carl decided to go to bed. Before everything happened ha would go to bed as late as he could get away with, to be forced out of bed by his mother on school days, and or, on weekends, being awoken by his parents arguing...no sleep was something he took for granted. He rarely slept for full nights, always being jerked awake from nightmares, which had only increased when his mother died...most nights, like now, he could only lay and gaze up at the ceiling. He checked his watch. It was midnight. _What was the point of lying here anymore?_ He thought to himself. He clambered up, bundling his sleeping bag up in his arms, and began to walk towards the guard tower.

Upon arriving, he got the shock of his life...Beth spun around to see him standing there, awkwardly with his sleeping bag.  
'Carl, what are you doing out here?' She asked.  
'N-I couldn't sleep, what about you?'  
'Same problem.' She replied

Beth decided it was time for a change of subject.  
'You can see the stars out here, you never saw them before did you?'  
'Yeah...its something to do with the lights' he said, now wishing he'd paid more attention at school. He decided to roll out his sleeping bag across the floor, then clambered n to keep warm.  
Beth rolled hers out next to him; though she made sure she kept her distance. She fancied Carl, but he was only 13. She'd have no problems with dating him, if only she could build the confidence to ask him out, but she wasn't ready to go further than that, not with a 13 year old.  
'Better turn in' She said, resting her head on the cold, steel floor. Carl did the same, resisting the urge to say 'We should cuddle together for warmth'. It sounded good, but he'd never have the confidence to say it, even if he did, he was pretty sure she'd look at him with disgust...


End file.
